When you hear the words “Western flicks,” what comes to mind? It might be anything from Clint Eastwood to Stetson hats with broad brims and high crowns, neckerchiefbandannas, cowboy boots, and a lot of gun slinging. When the horror genre is added to the mix, it becomes even more entertaining.
So, we can have vampires, werewolves, zombies, big ugly human-eating worms, cannibalistic barbarians, and cursed ghost towns, among other horrors. These films have a certain appeal about them, yet they are not afraid to be terrifying or slow-burning. In this video, we’ll show you some of the most underappreciated and underestimated Western Horror films that deserve to be discovered and viewed.
Bone Tomahawk (2015)
Purvis and Buddy make a fortune kidnapping and robbing passengers in what is today the border between New Mexico and Texas in the late nineteenth century. They come into a Native American burial place, and Buddy is killed, while Purvis flees to Bright Hope, a small hamlet.
Purvis had lured a clan of cannibals into town without his knowledge, and they have now taken Purvis, a medical aide named Samantha, and the town deputy Nick. Sheriff Franklin Hunt assembles a posse to track down the cannibal tribesmen and reclaim the abductees.
Writer and director S. Craig Zahler catapults the viewer into an atmosphere that’s fiercely Western and visually horrific. At 132 minutes, the film might feel over-indulgent, but a fantastic cast led by veteran Kurt Russell makes the whole experience enjoyable yet haunting.
It is a staple for a Western film to have the main hero supported by a charismatic cast. In Bone Tomahawk, Franklin Hunt is complemented by Patrick Wilson, who plays Arthur. It’s one thing to make a Western and it’s totally another thing when you throw raw cannibalism into the recipe. Bone Tomahawk is a slow burn but when it picks up speed, it gets gruesome.
Interestingly, the cave that’s shown in the final act of the film is the same cave where Tony Stark built the first Iron Man suit.
Ravenous (1999)
John Boyd, a second lieutenant in the US Army, captures a Mexican command post, but only after a cowardly act of pretending to be dead. Outraged, General Slauson sends him to Fort Spencer, a remote military outpost in the Sierra Nevada, where Col. Hart is the commanding officer. Boyd is thrown into a group of incompetent misfits who call themselves warriors.
Soon after, a stranger named Colqhoun appears to the fort and recounts his ordeal. His wagon got lost in the mountains and his colleagues were stranded for almost three months. Struck by starvation, they resorted to cannibalism.
Immediately after, a search party is formed to rescue the survivors, but a native American named George tells the men about the Wendigo myth- that whenever a person eats another, they become addicted to more human flesh. The soldiers reach a cave and find dead remains and human skeletons. However, it seems that they themselves will have to indulge in the horrific act of cannibalism to survive.
The film stars noted actors like Guy Pearce, Robert Carlyle, and David Arquette. It is partially based on and inspired by the account of the Donner Party, a group of Americans who became stranded in the Sierra Nevada’s cold mountains.
They turned to cannibalism as resources ran out, eating anyone who died from the hard weather or disease. The famed Colorado Cannibal, Alferd Packer, is also a source of moderate inspiration.
Despite being about a grim subject like anthropophagy, director Antonia Bird gaveRavenous a darkly humorous tone that almost makes it a black comedy. Ravenous contains elements of vampirism and cannibalism but never relies too heavily on either one, and this fine balance makes it a masterpiece in its own right. That being said, there’re all kinds of messed-up things in the film, and so we suggest you don’t watch this one while having dinner.
Near Dark (1987)
Caleb Colton meets a gorgeous vagabond named Mae one night just before the sun rises and decides it’s no harm to offer her a ride. He asks for a kiss just as she is ready to depart, but Mae gives him more than that and bites him before escaping. Caleb’s skin begins to smoke and burn later that day as a result of the sun’s rays.
He now understands the significance of the bite. Caleb’s sister and father, Sarah and Loy Colton, see him being kidnapped by a bunch of strangers. Mae’s family is leading the organisation, which is led by a centuries-old vampire named Jesse. Everyone in the band wants Caleb dead, but Mae saves him by telling the others that she has already converted him.
Caleb will now need to earn the trust of the group by learning to hunt and kill. Mae initially helps him because Caleb fails to digest the idea of hunting humans even though he can very well digest human blood. The two of them fall in love, but when Sarah and Loy show up, he will have to choose between the love of life and his beloved family.
Near Dark is a clever picture because it easily avoids most of the stereotypes associated with the vampire genre—no there’s slaughtering of innocent virgin girls, no Van Helsing with a crossbow, no one transforms into flying creatures, and the group struggles to find prey while avoiding the cops. Come on, you can’t keep killing people and expect to go unnoticed. The movie is similar to a classic burger with an unique sauce.
Interestingly enough, this modern take on blood-sucking creatures never mentions the term vampire even once. Some are also of the opinion that this was director Kathryn Bigelow’s attempt to depict rampant drug addiction from a different angle. And, it is probably this fact that the film feels real and psychologically painful. Indeed, Near Dark has elements like love, family, righteousness, and of course, sexual desires.
The Burrowers (2008)
A family dwelling on the edges of civilisation was inexplicably stolen in 1879. The needle of suspicion was initially aimed at the indigenous people, as was customary at the time. A posse was created, consisting of two battle-weary veterans, a guy desperate to find his love, and a fiery adolescent.
As the men began their long quest to safely return the family, they knew that the forces abducting them were not human. It’s a species that used to survive on American bison, but as the settlers exterminated them, these animals began hunting humans. The only people who know how to deal with these beasts belong to a native tribe named Ute, but even their numbers are dwindling because of the new settlers.
The film is one of the best efforts at making a horror western. It’s set in the wild wild west, it has elements of socio-political issues prevalent in that part of history, and works just fine as a refreshed version of the monster film.
The monsters are shown as spider-legged flesh-eaters, but the visual effects employed to make them move could have been better. However, it’s a piece of cake for gorehounds on the hunt for monsters that bury their victims alive and wait for decomposition to begin before devouring them.
Furthermore, the plot is not shady, and Clancy Brown’s as John Clay and David Busse’s as Young Bluecoatare on par with the cast of Bone Tomahawk’.
Writer and director J.T. Petty did a great job and gave a gripping film, but we have to agree that the screenplay and VFX could have been better.
Vampires (1998)
Jack Crow’s parents were murdered by vampires when he was a child, and he vowed to exact eternal vengeance. He works as a vampire hunter as an adult and is financed by the Vatican. Jack and his team are expert vampire slayers, and their most recent mission is to clear a house of the bloodsuckers.
Jack’s squad succeeded to kill nine vampires using a coordinated attack strategy, but they were unable to locate the senior vampire. Crow is concerned about the leader, despite the fact that they celebrate their victory with alcohol and women. When the mighty Valek arrives, he slaughter the inebriated vampire slayers and bites a woman named Katrina, confirming his worst fears.
With Katrina and his faithful subordinate Montoya, Jack flees the scene. Jack reports the incident to Cardinal Alba, who tells him that Valek is the first-ever vampire who seeks an ancient relic that could give him the power to walk the face of Earth even under sunlight. Jack must use whatever resources he has left to fight this ancientbeing.
Vampires has the reputation of having a difficult production. Legendary director John Carpenter was considering retirement after a string of box office failures, but this film’s script intrigued him. Unfortunately, the executives decided to cut the film’s budget by two-thirds and Carpenter had to do significant rewrites.
Nevertheless, the auteur used whatever resources he had and gave us a gory, violent, crude and exciting film. The tension builds furthermore in the last 35 minutes when things become sexy and scary.
Carpenter’s filmmaking skills and knowledge give both the protagonist and antagonist equal power and charisma. The performances of James Woods as John Crow and Thomas Ian Griffith as Jan Valekar were outstanding, but Daniel Baldwin and Sheryl Lee also deserve praise.
Carpenter can do wonders with whatever he puts his hands on, and Vampires tells that Carpenter can do wonders with anything he puts his hands on, and this time it was a Western horror film.
Dead Birds (2004)
A gang of Confederate outlaws robs a bank during the American Civil War in 1861. William leads the posse, which includes Sam, Clyde, Joseph, Todd, and Annabelle. They steal gold and attempt to flee to Mexico, but they are forced to seek refuge in a barn near an abandoned plantation due to nightfall and a thunderstorm.
They stumble see a scarecrow that looks like a crucified human being as they traverse the plantation. The group quickly discovers that the seemingly deserted farmhouse is not completely empty. It was once owned by a farmer who had a lovely wife and two lovely children.
The wife’s death left the man crazy and he resorted to native black magic to revive her. He sacrificed his children, the slaves and any living person in and around his house. This grave and diabolic act didn’t bring her back, it instead transformed the victims into evil entities who would kill anyone who entered the house.
When the villagers learned about this, they crucified the man on his own plantation. The evil spirits soon start taking over William and his followers. As the night grows darker, it brings further horrors. Will they survive?
Director Alex Turner and writer Simon Barrett definitely know how to make a Western horror. The sheer topography of the farmhouse with no specific roads or paths leading to it tells us that something is entirely wrong, that something sinister is brewing in that house and plantation.
Apart from a few minor SFX and VFX flaws, the film packs a bundle of chilling scenes. Each of the individuals encounters a different type of demonic entity, and we couldn’t help but think of H.P. Lovecraft when we saw all of the necromancy in the film. The big show-stealers are Micheal Shannon as Clyde and Nicki Aycox as Annabelle, but Henry Thomas and others also do a fantastic job.
Overall, if you’re searching for a quirky Western horror, this picture is a nice one-time movie. So look for it and keep an eye on it.
Ghost Town (1988)
Kate has driven alone on a roadway near Riverton, Arizona, after leaving her fiancé at the altar. She hears horses racing along the side of her car, which she doesn’t recognise. She pulls over, intrigued by the event, but there is no one there. She is soon engulfed in a cloud of dust and vanishes.
Sheriff Langley discovers her abandoned vehicle and attempts to investigate, but his car is shot at by a man on a horse before he can do anything. He is forced to journey on foot after the car explodes. Langley stumbles onto an abandoned ghost town and spends the night in one of its structures.
The next morning, he is greeted by multiple apparitions who appear to be locals. Meanwhile, a zombie-like man named Devlin has abducted Kate. Devlin keeps the wandering spirits terrified and also controls them because of a pact that he made with the Devil. Will Langley survive and save Kate?
Despite good performances and efficient cinematography, Ghost Town is haunted by the ghosts of a predictable story. The script seems dodgy at times but the film feels visually rich. It was most likely the first Western picture with a zombie theme and supernatural elements.
This unique take on the zombie film genre piqued viewers’ interest and made for an enjoyable viewing experience. A man strives to free a ghost town from an age-old curse, according to a storey by David Schmoeller.
The performances of Franc Luz as Langley, Catherine Hickland as Kate, and Jimmie F. Skaggs as Devlin may be the film’s best assets; otherwise, it would have fallen flat on its face.
Having said that, Ghost Town is an eerie movie that neededa more refined touch, but it doesn’t deserve to be overlooked.
Eyes of Fire (1983)
A party of pioneers narrowly avoids being attacked in 1750 because its head preacher, Will Smythe, is accused of living an adulterous lifestyle. The organisation is made up of men and women of different ages, as well as a supernaturally gifted girl named Leah. They journey far from home, into the wildness of a valley, but they are unaware that the area is haunted by a demonic force.
They must not only survive this wicked monster, but they are also in grave risk of being attacked by hostile Native American tribes. In order to escape the Shawnee Indians, they travel to a location where the Shawnee are afraid to go due to different beliefs. But the individuals soon learn that these superstitions are more than a myth!
Eyes of Fire is a great example of a slow burner. The first half takes its time to build the complex relationship that the characters share. The viewer is introduced to the seclusion and isolation that engulfs Will Smythe and his group of men. It’s a practical thing to do because it only makes the viewer more involved with the story.
The second half offers a more action-packed sequence of events with exploding children, haunting white spirits, trees growing strange faces on their barks, and above all, a poltergeist on the loose. The colour palette is practically psychedelic, which may distract the audience from what’s going on in the movie.
Director Avery Crounse has created a film with a strong sense of paranoia and fear. On the acting front, Dennis Lipscomb and Guy Boyd undertake the most of the hard lifting. Keep an eye out for the scenes with people in trees, as they’re extremely strange and frightening.
High Plains Drifter (1973)
The residents of Lago, a little mining town in Inyo County, California, have a dark secret. Three dangerous criminals are about to be released from prison, and they’re planning on unleashing their wrath on the town and completing some unfinished business.
However, from the scorching heat, a strange drifter comes into town. The town’s leader requests that the gunslinging stranger stay and defend them for a fee. The townfolk, on the other hand, begin to question this decision and ponder if requesting his assistance is the appropriate thing to do.
As the three outlaws approach the town, they’re shocked to see that the village has changed and is guarded by a new protector who will rid the town of its corruption with his own brand of justice.
Clint Eastwood’s High Plains Drifter is not essentially a horror movie, but the famous actor’s directorial skills paint the atmosphere with supernatural colors. Firstly, he had the entire town of Lago built from scratch for the film, the location offered different colors throughout the day and Eastwood used idiosyncratic photography, eerie music and dream sequences to bring out the supernatural element.
Naturally, Sergio Leone’s directorial approach has a strong effect on High Plains Drifter. Leone’s name is engraved on one of the headstones in the Lago cemetery. Clint Eastwood accomplished a fantastic job as both an actor and a director, but the picture was criticised for being unnecessarily violent and portraying the Old West in a negative light when it was released in 1973.
The film is a gothic horror storey and a revenge thriller, but it’s also funny and full of classic Western tropes. We’d call it a visual and mental treat.
Undead or Alive (2007)
When local cowboy Luke goes to propose to a bar girl, he discovers her having sex with an army deserter named Elmer Winslow. Luke’s princess, on the other hand, is a prostitute.
When the two guys get into a brawl, the crooked Sheriff Claypool arrests them and takes Elmer’s $500. They manage to flee and steal all of Sherrif’s money in the process. Naturally, he is shocked and gathers a posse to track down the two men.
Sue, a girl who claims to be the niece of Geronimo the legendary chief of the Apache tribe, attacks Luke and Elmer. She is seeking revenge for the murder of her uncle and tells Luke and Elmer about the curse of Geronimo that turns white men into zombies, which has happened to the Sherriff and his men!
The horror element of the film is mild and uneven but what makes Undead or Alive a watchable film is its humor. While it doesn’t reach the level of other great horror comedies like Zombieland, it does manage to generate constant laughter.
The gore is fairly decent with arms, legs, heads, and even penises getting ripped off by some angry Wild West zombies.While Chris Kattan as Luke, James Denton as Elmer and NaviRawat as Sue give good performances, the star of the show remains Matt Besser as Claypool. Not only does he play a great corrupt officer, but he also gets some of the best lines in the film.
No matter what, you’ll have a great time watching this one. And, a little heads up, the flick has a few cannibalistic undertones.